If there's supposed to be fair housing, then why can't people who've been incarcerated find a place to live?

Question

People who've already served their time and paid all fines, cannot find a home without a ton of grief. Yet almost every single apartment complex swears to abide by the Equal Housing Authority regulations. Where's the fair housing for those who are trying to actively improve their lives and move on without being unjustly repunished by those with no clue to the exact reasons or details of the person's past?

Answer 1

Good question. Fair question. Currently, HUD excludes felons from living in their rental hoursing. They cannot even live with a mother, wife, shack-up or anyone else. If they are found doing so, the "non-offending" person who actually rents the apartment/house loses their HUD eligibility. I have never understood by parole agencies and parole officers don't have suitable rentals set aside for parolees or those with verifiable records. Because there are so many ex-felons who are registered sex offenders or drug abusers or have violent histories, the Fair Housing rules do not apply to these people. Because so many ex-felons re-offend, the government has the stats to exclude them. This is consistent with the fact that in the U.S. we provide almost no rehabilitation/education services in prisons, certainly not here in California.
The irony is that those ex-felons who have done their time and are highly motivated to change the course of their lives are done in by a system that works against rehabilitation, thus guaranteeing that a majority of ex-felons reoffend.
Behind this is money, of course. In the U.S. if it don't make the rich and powerful more profit, there will not be money allocated by the weak, greedy legislators. The building and staffing of prisons is the money maker for the state and those who make money building the facilities. This is why there is no move to relocate the foreign nationals (read: illegal aliens) to their respective home countries. That is why the state needs felons to re-offend. In CA that need fits in real well with the 3 strikes law which is sold to "protect" the public, but in reality creates more wealth for the state and union that represents the guards, etc. And, of course the payback dough to legislators.
The answer given the above: Go underground, get fake identities and then be sure to live a life and not re-offend. This is not my advice but the only alternative I see for a thinking person who knows he/she are victims of rampant discrimination. The argument on the other side would be that the vast majority of the offenders have committed heinous crimes and deserve to live a live of nomadism - until, ching-ching, they are back in custody.
Life is not fair and in 2006 there are no safety nets. Unless you are in a protected class such as illegal aliens.

Answer 2

do Fair Housing regs apply to ex-convicts? I don't know.... I'd guess being put away for a time has 2 other problems, first, no recent rental history, second, very likely a bad credit rating since I don't think the prison system pays off all your bills when you take up residence, so those probably all go into some sort of default.

Flip the question around - if you were a landlord would you rent to a person with these problems? Incarceration probably leaves various things behind that can act as excuses if needed to not take somebody.

The worst thing that can happen to a landlord is to get a bad tenant - therefore they will take whatever measures can be taken to avoid that.

Answer 3

Well it is a complicated issue to be sure. "Fair housing" only applies whenever people want it to apply..(unforunately) However, in regards to your "situation" many people are just attempting to protect their property or themselves or the other renters from a person that has already shown themselves to be a "possible risk". Many people in your situation unfortunately continue on in the lifestyles which you say you have "paid for" ....but that is not ALWAYS the case, which is what makes it SO difficult for the ones that ARE trying to improve their life, & get away from destructive behavior. There are many options to try & get your life "back on track" it just depends on what State you live in, & the agencies that are willing & able to help you! The BEST one that I can think of that is a world wide agency is that of Jesus Christ! Start by finding a bible believing church & allow the Lord to help get you a brighter outlook for the near future, as well as the eternal one! :)

Answer 4

I think that fair housing applies to groups of people who have suffered discrimination without doing anything to warrant discrimination. Color of skin doesn't have anything to do with being a good tenant.

With ex-cons it is a slightly different story. Criminals typically don't make wrong things right unless they are caught. They've proven they aren't trustworthy. Criminals don't seem to understand what they are and are not entitled to. People who have not been in prison are less likely to be in prison in the future. A person sent to prison can not fulfill the terms of a lease. Also landlords don't want to trust someone who has a higher probability of being untrustworthy with a $100,000 asset.

Answer 5

Not a protected class under Fair Housing.

Answer 6

Ex felons are not a protected class and in some cases present a danger to other tenants their having satisfied their debt to society notwithstanding. Also there are issues related to insurance particularly if the crime involved violence or was a sex offense.

Answer 7

Perhaps you should try private housing, as in an apartment in a two or three family house.

Answer 8

Give them a fake name and social. That could work that will get back at those bastereds they wont even know who you realy are. Then get an appartment wear they exept money order

Answer 9

Usually it's the sex pervs we don't want next door

Answer 10

i thought they could live anywhere HUD owned/run as long as they could prove income to pay the rent